Music
A Buyers Guide to Free
The late 60s were an exciting time for blues based rock in the UK, Cream was the supergroup, Fleetwood Mac had genuine hit singles and we haven’t even mentioned Led Zeppelin yet. Hot on the heels of these heavy hitters were four little skinny guys, younger than their contemporaries, they could still play the blues …
See: Able Archer release video for Ghostmaker
Dublin’s Able Archer, aka Emmet McCaughey, Rob McDonnell, Diarmuid Breathnach, Sean O’Connor and Neil Buckley first attracted our attention with their Bullets EP, with their forceful indie/alt rock and their winning tunes enough for us to stick our hats on them to make it big. Their second, as yet unnamed EP is due out this …
Not Forgotten – Elton John – Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
Top selling musicians these days have it easy. The average recording artist is expected to release a new album once every two years, maybe one a year if they are a new artist. Back in the early 70s it was a given that at least one album a year was the acceptable rate, that way …
See: Screaming Maldini release new video for ‘Abyssinia’
Continuing their current single releasing strategy, Screming Maldini have brought out their brand new single ‘Abyssinia’ with a music video to boot. This latest single in the bands year of monthly releases just proves that Maldini are constantly going from strength to strength and are never afraid to go in different directions and mature their …
Album Review – The Hold Steady – Teeth Dreams
The Hold Steady return in a hail of guitars. Great, that’s exactly what I want from The Hold Steady. As much as they’ve engaged my enthusiasm for wordy guitar rock over the last few years, I have to admit that their previous album, Heaven is Whenever, was the one I had the most difficulty connecting …
News: US punks Tweens to release self-titled debut LP
For a young band on the first steps of their career, there can be nothing better than receiving accolades and support from those that have ‘made it’. Take The Tweens for instance. On the recommendation of Cincinnati record shop owner, Jim Blaze (Shake It Records), none other than Kim Deal booked them for a gig …
A Buyers Guide to Progressive Rock
Progressive Rock, much like Dr Who, was far more enjoyable in the 70s. While it is undeniably glossier these days, it has lost much of the intangible brilliance that caught the imagination back in the day. As for me, I’ve had a love / hate relationship with the genre for decades. There are some prog …
Track: L A C E D release the shimmering Shoegaze of Celeste
Birmingham five piece L A C E D have followed up last years Jade Vine with a new track, Celeste. Its taken from their forthcoming EP, New Bloom, out soon (can’t do better than that right now I’m afraid) on Rattle Pop records. The track is a wash of noise and guitar feedback, but it’s …
News: Broken Hands announce UK Tour dates
Since we last wrote about Broken Hands it’s all been going a little bit crazy. A few weeks back their single, ‘No One Left To Meet’, started getting loads of airplay on BBC Radio 1 via their Introducing Playlist. Championed by the likes of Fearne Cotton, Greg James, Scott Mills, and Huw Stevens, it must …
Not Forgotten: Brendan Benson – The Alternative to Love
2005 was an odd year for power pop, when three big names released albums of new material. As fate would have it these much anticipated releases by Teenage Fanclub, The Posies and Big Star were solid, but at the end of the day they were just preaching to the converted. Just the same skillful playing …